


After Neutral

by JustThatOneNerd



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Eventual Happy Ending, Feel-good, Fluff, Happy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:00:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26986336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustThatOneNerd/pseuds/JustThatOneNerd
Summary: The underground was silent. A good chunk of the population had been taken from the monsters, including their kind king. Everything felt so still. And it felt weird to one of it's denizens. A skeleton, short in statue and lazy in attitude. He'd given the last human to pass through a call to update them on the damage they'd done, the sternly told them to never return.He knew they would, however. He knew they'd hit reset and start their world over for their own sick sense of satisfaction. Sure, they were a kid. But there was something that guided their hand to do the things that they'd done. Luckily, they spared his brother this time.It was as if this timeline he found himself in just kept moving as if Frisk had not desire to go back and try out a new method of travel. This puzzled him as he descended back to Snowdin Town. Perhaps an answer would come his way if he waited. Maybe Frisk, or whoever, was waiting a little longer to torture his soul once again with whatever they had planned.
Relationships: Undertale Ensemble & Original Character(s), Undertale Ensemble/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	1. Continue?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young girl ascends Mount Ebott with one purpose: Escape.

> _"You weren't planned, you know."_

The voice of a small girl's older sister swirled in her head, along with other thoughts. She climbed up the mountain, adamant on not returning downward. She resolved to living in the wild. This mountain was her sanctuary.

The girl's night gown was torn in places. Her knee socks were too, and her hair was in utter disarray. She didn't care much. She did care, however, about a doll she had in her arms. She made sure nothing happened to it. It was a simple grey cat doll in a cute blue dress. She cherished it dearly, it being the last gift her father and late best friend ever gave her.

She felt like a burden. Her imaginary sins made her want to climb higher. To see what was at the top. Even though her milk chocolate hair clouded her vision and covered her eyes completely, she pressed on.

"Almost..." She whispered, wincing at the pain in her palms. The doll was nestled awkwardly into her night gown, forcing her head up so she could use both hands to climb. She relied on the moonlight to see. "There!"

A cave! Finally! She could rest and explore tomorrow. She grinned from ear to ear, hurrying into the cave. She hesitated at first, seeing as the moon couldn't reach inside the cave. She pressed on, more worried about not being able to see rather than the dark itself. Something appeared in front of her to help her see, however.

A little, pink heart. It was pastel in nature, and it rested just above her chest. She wiped her hands in her gown and removed the rather large doll. She held it under her arms as she observed the mysterious object.

Was this her soul? The thing her teacher could never successfully bring out in her? Why would it suddenly appear now? She paid it no mind, using the dim light it gave off to look around a bit.

She took a few steps forward, stopping when the light faded into a gaping hole in the center of the cave. She leaned forward a bit, trying to see the bottom. Very, very faintly, she could see a patch of yellow. She couldn't tell what it was, but it was there.

"There's something down there..." She whispered, a small echo repeating back to her. She was curious. She stood up and backed away from the hole, shoving her doll into the back of her gown. It made it a bit hard to breath but she had a curious heart to satiate.

She didn't know how far down the hole went, but she was going to try and climb down it. She had no other option in her eyes. Her mind was set, using a thick vine she'd nearly tripped on as leverage to help guide her.

She was lucky her dad taught her about rock climbing, regardless of what her mother thought of teaching a young girl to climb.

Growing tired quickly, she halted. She was way too far in to turn back, but the ground didn't look any closer than before. She sighed, regret welling up in her. She pressed on, however. There was no turning back now. She simply had to continue. She had nothing to go back to.

"Climbing song! Climbing song! If you know it sing along!" Her voice echoed as she passed the time by singing. "It's not hard, as you can see! All you gotta do is follow-" she paused, the vine jolting. She couldn't see, but her weight was starting to break the vine. She never gave up hope on reaching the bottom safely, however. She started climbing a little quicker, being more cautious in relying on the rocks and her legs more instead of on the vine and her arms.

Still, it snapped eventually. The girl yelped, forgetting for a moment that there wasn't a safety harness to stop her fall. She'd gotten too invested in the memory of climbing with her two favorite people that she'd briefly put her mindset into that time frame.

Luckily, she never hit the ground. A set of vines formed a cup around her as she fell, slowing her fall until they stopped her all together. She blinked, the thorns on the vines not bothering her too much. She'd endured every injury she'd gained up until this point. What could a couple more do?

She was gently set upon the patch of yellow she had seen from the top. They were flowers, a well known type in the town below the mountain. Though, she had no idea that they could grow in the mountain. One of these particular flowers had a face, and he looked just as perplexed about saving her as she did.

"You-"

"Am a talking flower. Yeah yeah I've heard it a million times," He waved a leaf at her. She took note of how beat up he looked. She laid on her stomach, removing the doll from her gown once again to lay it beside her. "What are you staring at?"

"You!" She answered with a yawn soon behind it. "You're very cute!"

"I'm cute? Even looking like this?" She nodded to him. "I haven't heard that one before... This whole thing is weird..." He muttered.

"Well there's a first time for everything, Mr. Flower!" She muttered back, resting her head on her arms. "This is... Comfy..."

"You can't just sleep anywhere you want! And my name's Flowey! Not flower!" He retorted loudly. The girl just gave him a thumbs up.

"That's nice, Flowey..." She yawned again, curling her body as softly as she could so she wouldn't interrupt the flowers. She hugged her doll. "My name means flower too... Nice to meet... You..."

Flowey huffed, gently lifting the girl off the patch of flowers. He'd had enough of humans landing on that sacred spot, and resorted to taking her into the Ruins with his vines to rest her on a pile of leaves. She didn't budge much, being too exhausted to do so.


	2. Exploration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our protagonist wakes up in a leaf pile, and switches travel partners.

The young girl had awaken covered in leaves. She sat up quickly, feeling around for her doll. Flowey was beside her, seeming waking up himself. Her sudden movement startled him. She relaxed when she found it beside her.

"Jeez don't do that!" Flowey complained. His companion chuckled at him, sitting up and setting her doll in her lap.

"Sorry!" She chuckled. "I got a little worried..." She trailed off, glancing up at the sharp little pellets pointing at her. "What-"

She heard Flowey chuckle from below her, and she took her eyes away from the dangerous projectiles for a moment. "I'm a little... High strung from something that happened before we met," the pellets vanished, and the girl stood to stretch. 

She had leaves in her hair and dried blood stains on her clothes and skin. Her hair clung to her, giving her a haggard and filthy appearance. She didn't really mind it, however.

"Now that you mention it, you do look kinda beat up. What happened?" She crouched down, looming over the yellow flower with a curious expression.

"I don't want to talk about it," Flowey rejected her query, avoiding her pouting lips. He couldn't see her eyes, but they were wide and pleading. She didn't move for a long while, and it irritated him. "Fine! I lost a fight! There! Happy?!"

Flowey's expression brought up a brief memory. One where she was yelled at for prying too much. "Very!" She answered, hiding her unpleasant feelings behind a soft smile. She stood once more, stretching her body upward with a grunt. "So... What is this place?"

"We're in the ruins now. The first part of the underground," Flowey's reply was dry. His companion paid no mind as she scooped up her doll. She checked for leaves and dirt before letting it rest in her arms.

"Ah, I see... Though I don't know what ruins are..." She muttered to herself. It echoed, and Flowey heard it, rolling his eyes. Just how old was she anyway? Seven? Eight? Her height and demeanor made it hard to tell.

"Think of it as a fancy word for old buildings," he huffed out. She nodded and glanced around, and Flowey buried himself underground. He popped up in front of her shortly after. "I can't walk with you since I'm, you know, a flower. So you'll just have to deal with me popping in on you from time to time. Go through that gate there."

He gestured upward, and she followed with her eyes. She nodded, running up a flight of steps and towards the aforementioned gate. Flowey snickered at her naivete. Perhaps his plan would work this time. Her soul wasn't as powerful as the previous human's, but it was in the same "soul family" as theirs.

Once at the top, she found herself in an enclosed room. There were buttons on the floor to her right, and a lever on the opposite wall. Flowey soon appeared, along with a plethora of vines. They pushed the buttons in a certain order, and a large one pulled the lever down.

He ushered her through, telling her about puzzles and a goat monster that lived nearby. She was told to fear her, despite her friendly appearance. Since Flowey seemed trustworthy, she complied.

They hid behind a pillar when Flowey said to. The monster Flowey mentioned beforehand was approaching. She hummed a light tune, a watering can in one hand. She walked in the direction they had just came from. Flowey took note of the girl's curiosity, wrapping a vine around her wrist in warning. She glanced down in silent agony, tugging roughly on the vine so he'd let go. She hated being held the way he was gripping her.

Harsh. Coldly. A vine or a grown man's hand made no difference to her. She didn't like it one bit. So much so that she started disregarding him and his demands. She managed to break free, her wrist now bruised. She ran towards the doorway the monster had walked from, uncaring that the motherly figure had seen her.

Flowey's demeanor had gradually reminded her of people from her past. People she'd rather forget. The brunette didn't cry. She wanted to, but she didn't. She was taught not to cry, even when in pain. When he popped back up in front of her, she stumbled back. He prevented her from leaving again with a vine tied to her ankle.

"Why'd you run off, friend?" He asked, attempting to keep up his friendly demeanor. She could see the frustration in his gaze. She didn't speak, only bracing herself silently for whatever he'd planned on doing. She felt the grip around her ankle tighten, which only made her want to hide away even more. She clamped her eyes shut.

When his grip loosened, she opened her eyes. A figure loomed over her. The watering can from before had been set down, and the goat monster started tapping her foot.

"Flowey..." She grumbled, focusing on the tiny flower for now. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing you need to know about!" He hissed and let go of the girl, retreating into the ground after shooting the child a glare. She sighed deeply, holding her cat plush close to her for comfort.

"T-Thank you..." She muttered, refusing to look up. Very rarely was this sort of kindness extended to her. She was partially expecting the older woman to be just as harsh as her old travel partner.

"It was nothing, child," she answered with a soft, gentle tone. She walked around the girl, leaning down to her level as best she could. "That flower is quite dangerous. I'm glad I saw you when I did." She offered a hand, and the child hesitated to take it. She admired its softness as she stood. "My name is Toriel! I take care of these here ruins. It seems you've fallen down here..."

It took some patient silence for her to speak again. "My name's Zinnia... Nice to meet you, Miss Toriel," she introduced herself, bowing her head when she stood. Toriel frowned a bit, going to pick up her watering can.

"I think those flowers can wait a little longer. How would you like to come with me?" Zinnia gave it a thought. Flowey said she was dangerous, yes. But he turned out to be the dangerous one. Could she trust anyone down here, or was it the same as her home life?

Seeing Toriel's soft gaze and friendly smile put the brunette at ease. She nodded graciously, walking up beside her. "Y-yes! If it's not too much to ask..."

"Of course not! That's why I offered. An old goat like me could use some company anyway!" Again, she offered her hand down to Zinnia. The girl reluctantly accepted it, still on edge from before. Toriel could tell based on the way she lagged when she walked, and how she didn't say much. She was patient with the nervous child.


	3. Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toriel gains a new daughter, and Zinnia, a mother.

Zinnia watched in wonder as Toriel carefully cleaned her injuries. She had to use a bit of healing magic as well, though she couldn't heal everything. Zinnia was in Toriel's bathroom, the older monster insisting on helping her get clean. The water was brown at this point.

"I hope that will suffice for now, child," Toriel stepped away as Zinnia dried off her hair. The small girl nodded, drying off her body as best she could. "Your clothes are washing right now. I'll have to find something for you to wear. And see if I can find some new underclothes when I go out later."

"You don't have to do that, Miss Toriel!" Zinnia insisted. "You've already helped me so much! You don't have to waste any money on me!" She wrapped the towel around herself and followed Toriel into a room across the hall. It had a pair of beds, one looking like it had been recently used.

"It's not a waste if I wish to use it," Toriel simply answered, rubbing her dampened hair before opening the dresser beside the used bed. "Besides, what kind of mother would I be to not properly take care of a child in need, even if she is not my own?"

Zinnia's face flushed at the comment. Her mother never treated her in this manner, unless it was to save face. Toriel was different. She gave off motherly energy thay Zinnia could bask in all day. She found herself staring upward, completely forgetting to dry herself off.

Toriel chuckled lightly wy the girl's enamored expression. "I've set a rather large shirt on the bed for you. One of the other humans left it here," she explained while wrapping up any injuries she sustained on her torso. Minor cuts and the like. Her arms and legs were more severe, so arm bandages were in order, along with a herbal ointment that stung in contact. She gave Zinnia another light pat when shr was finished. "I'll be gone for a short while, but I will be quick!"

"O-Okay!" Zinnia wasn't used to her gentle demeanor. She tried not to doubt her kindness since she genuinely wanted to help. "I-I'll be here..."

"There's food on the counter in the next room over. I trust you'll be good while I'm away," she was at the door now, and Zinnia couldn't help but to follow her. Toriel simply smiled, leading her towards the living room. It was passed the front entrance and a set of stairs. A fire was going, and it felt good once Zinnia stood near it.

Toriel set her towel down in the loveseat beside the fire. "You can sit here while you wait. There are books to read next to the fireplace. I hope you find them enjoyable!" She grabbed a basket from the table behind the chair Zinnia had sat in, the departed towards the staircase they'd stepped passed.

For a while, Zinnia sat in silence. She hugged her doll close, fiddling with the ear and humming to herself. She leaned on the arm of the chair and lost herself in the swaying of the flames. They way they lapped at the air drew her attention. Dropping her precious toy on the ground was the only thing that managed to draw her focus away for a moment.

She was too small to reach down and pick it up, so she had to jump down. Monster chairs were a little bigger than human chairs. She took the chance to look through the bookshelf. She couldn't read as well as she'd like to, but she could read above her average 12 year old. She took pride in that fact and grabbed a book labelled Human to Monster: English Edition.

"Miss Toriel was speaking to me just fine..." She muttered, heading over to the table where two plates of pie sat. She couldn't quite place the smell, but it was definitely sweet. There was a note next to each piece. "Butterscotch... Cinnamon..." Without a second thought, Zinnia pushed the cinnamon pie to the other side of the table. She was careful not to touch it.

Setting her book down, she studied the pie. It was still warm, and it seemed a bit bigger than what she would've liked. She was skeptical of the pie. She had a few encounters were someone had put something in a pie beforehand that made her sick. She huffed, deciding to just try a small piece from the corner. If something was in the pie, she figured, the tip of the pie wouldn't effect her much.

* * *

When Toriel returned with cold feet and a basket full of neatly stacked undergarments, she went to check on Zinnia. She found her curled up on the loveseat, a mouth full of pie and tears running down her face. Toriel had a concerned expression until the girl looked up. She sat up and quickly walked over to Toriel.

"Miss Toriel," she hadn't even finished what she was eating, "this is the best pie I've ever had!" She sobbed and held onto her hand. Toriel sighed happily, guiding the child back to the chair. Toriel sat down in it, handing the girl her doll.

"I'm glad to hear it, dear! My pies are my pride and joy!" She answered graciously. Zinnia wiped her tears onto her arm, swallowing the last piece of pie she held in her mouth.

"I couldn't eat the cinnamon one, but the other one was amazing!" She squealed. "I think butterscotch is my new favorite flavor!" Zinnia leaned on the arm of the chair. She was grinning from ear to ear. It put a smile on Toriel's face.

"Are you allergic to cinnamon? Or did you just not like it?" Toriel asked. Zinnia placed her chin on the armrest.

"I'm allergic. My mama made me eat a spoonful of cinnamon sometimes and I couldn't breath at all! My throat was all scratchy and swollen... and I got these things on my face called hives. I learned how to use an EpiPen for the first time," Zinnia explained bitterly as she drew circles near her face.

Toriel's face twisted into a look of disgust and disappointment. It wasn't towards Zinnia, but towards her mother. How could a mother treat her child like that? It was clear that Zinnia needed a mother figure in her life, and Toriel was more than willing to provide.

She placed her hand on the child's head, catching her off guard for a moment. "I can assure you that that woman isn't worthy of a sweet little girl such as yourself. She had no right to treat you in such a way, and I certainly will not tolerate that."

"I... You... You mean that?"

"Of course. I was a mother once, after all. I will protect you and treat you as my own. I promise," she gave the girl a warm smile, and Zinnia leaped up to give Toriel a hug over the armrest. She was overjoyed, and Toriel's words melted away any doubt she may have had towards her. She hadn't felt this happy in a long while.

Zinnia found herself crying tears of joy again. She didn't care if her current position made her uncomfortable. Toriel seemed to understand her pain to a degree, and that's all she needed.

Toriel waiting for the girl to settle down. She rubbed circles on her back as she did. It had been only a short while since the last human had passed through, but Toriel needed this hug as well. She had been fearing for a while that her skills as a mother to the children that had fallen down had begun to dwindle.

"You're seriously the best, Miss Toriel! I... I can't thank you enough!" Zinnia hopped in her place, her smile wide and her eyes bright. Too bad Toriel could only see the smile. It was enough for her.

"You don't need to thank me, my child. It's a mother's job to take care of her children," she handed Zinnia the basket, along with some extra clothing items and a satchel. She also gave Zinnia her sacred cat plushie. "Go try these on! The bag is yours to keep!" Zinnia nodded hardily, practically running across the home and towards her room. Toriel chuckled at this, taking a glance at the book she'd left behind on the armrest. She decided to flip through it herself, deciding on teaching the girl some of the local monster language the next day.


	4. One Petal, Two Petals, Three Petals More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While adjusting to her new life, Zinnia meets a familiar face with an interesting offer.

Toriel couldn't be happier. Zinnia was a bundle of joy and boundless energy. She was friendly with the remaining local monsters, even if she couldn't understand them at times.

The two of them never spoke much about their past. Zinnia never asked too many questions due to her own past, and Toriel stopped after some prying since Zinnia would get upset about certain things. She was certain of one thing, however. Zinnia's mother was not a good person, neither were her older siblings. The brunette never spoke about her dad beyond the doll she carried around.

* * *

Zinnia was alone in the ruins today. She had gone through the non lethal puzzles just about a million times, so she did them with ease. There were piles of dust scattered about, and she wanted to know what they were. Whenever she brought it up with Toriel, she just glanced away or changed the subject. In truth, Toriel didn't have the heart that a human child not much older than Zinnia had caused those piles to sit. Families were torn apart due to this human's need to gain more "LV".

As she walked, Zinnia encountered a shrine of sorts. It was in a small room, and a bowl of candy sat at the center. "Please take one," the sign under the bowl read. Zinnia complied politely, standing on her toes to properly pick out a piece.

She shoved the piece in her dress' front pocket, whipping around to return on her little mini adventure. The entrance, however, was blocked. Thick vines blocked the entrance up to her height, and a familiar flower sat at the base of the doorway, smiling brightly. Zinnia approached, on guard but open.

"It's been a little while, Flowey! How's it going?" She got on her knees, careful not to sit on her dress itself. The concrete was cold on her knees. "You're all healed up! That's good!"

Flowey was a bit taken aback by her friendly demeanor. Their first- and last encounter ended with her running away from him. "Yeah... It took a while," he responded awkwardly. "Anyway, that's not what I came here for!"

"Hm? What is it then? And did it really need you locking me in here?" Zinnia asked with the tilt of her head.

"Not really, but I didn't want you to run off like you did last time!" He retorted. He subconscious raised his voice at her. "Ahem... I uh... This is actually a complicated question..."

"I'll try too understand it! Take your time!" Flowey had been confused by human kindness once before. Shortly before he met Zinnia, actually. He was a soulless creature, simply unable to understand their gestures towards him. He could feel her gaze through her now combed brown locks.

"I need to use your soul," he said, a bit of hesitation in his tone. "For good reason! It's to help all the other monsters!"

Zinnia was a bit puzzled by this. "Why? What's wrong with the monsters? Other than all this dust laying around and making people sad..."

Flowey narrowed his eyes. It was rare to find a human who didn't know of the barrier. He chalked it up to her young age. "There's a barrier that's stopping all the monsters from returning to the surface. We've almost got enough souls to break the barrier, though we're short one, and the last human to pass was... Unwilling to help."

Zinnia gave it a bit of thought. "Who'd want to go live on the surface? It sucks up there!" She stood, dusting off her knees. "All the bad people stay, and the good ones leave you behind. But down here, the people I've met are twice as fun! Most of the time..."

Flowey huffed, watching her walk over to the wall of vines. She poked at them a few times before turning back around. "So my answer will have to be no. As much as I'd like to help the monsters, I know for a fact that the bad humans will not treat them right."

She couldn't see, but he was prepared to grab her again. He would've hoped this would go a different direction, but he also knew that forcing his way wouldn't help him here. "You're not even considering the good humans! Where's your faith in humanity?" Zinnia simply shrugged.

"It died a long time ago..." She muttered, the room falling silent for a moment. Flowey gulped. "But... I guess I haven't considered that... Good humans do exist after all."

"Yeah they do! I've heard nothing but good things about you! You're a perfect example!" Flowey put on a cheery attitude, hoping to sway her into helping him. Zinnia blushed at the compliment.

"I try my best!" She beamed. "Then it's settled! If the monsters really want to head into the outside world, I'll gladly help them!" She crouched down to Flowey's level, shaking one of his leaves for good measure. The action felt a bit goofy to them, but Zinnia didn't mind much. "So... What do I gotta do anyway?"

Flowey started to unravel the vines at the doorway. "Since you seem new to the whole "soul" thing, we can start with figuring out what yours does," he suggested. "Then, we have to start travelling through the underground until we get to the barrier. The other souls are already there."

"Miss Toriel would never let me leave the ruins, though! And I don't want to let her down by disobeying her!" Zinnia pointed out. "She's probably worried about me now, actually..."

"You'll just have to convince her. And soon," Flowey popped beneath the surface, appearing in the hallway past the doorway. "There's a town past the ruins. I'll be in the field passed that when you get there. Don't let me down!" That sounded more like a demand if anything else. Regardless, Zinnia nodded to him before he vanished into the dirt.

Zinnia began on her trip back home, thinking of ways to get Toriel to let her head passed the staircase. She was quite curious about them anyway.


	5. Boots and Puns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toriel takes Zinnia to a sleepy town, and Zinnia's on a mission to return a lost item.

"Boots... Boots... Ah ha! Boots! And they're cute!" Zinnia chirped, finding a pair of black wet weather boots in the shoe collection in her room. They were a little big, but she'd be fine wearing them. She was ecstatic since Toriel allowed her to come with her on her shopping trip. She had to prepare for the next section of the underground to be chilly. Even her doll had a coat on.

There was a soft knock at the door. "Are you ready, my child?" Zinnia scooped up her satchel and stuffed her doll inside. She snatched her hat off the bed, making her way towards the door.

"Yes Miss Toriel! Here I come!" She replied, swinging the door open. Toriel smiled down at her, offering her hand. Zinnia gladly accepted. "These gloves make my hand just as fluffy as yours!"

Toriel laughed as they walked down the stairs. "It seems so! You look all warm and snuggly! I bet you won't feel cold at all!" The corridor got increasingly more chilly as they stepped.

"Nope! I'm gonna dominate the cold!" Toriel had to push a set of large doors open, and Zinnia attempted to help, to no avail. She did it with the second door, too, giggling as she did. The cool air that passed made her blink a few times. She ran out onto the path, admiring the tall trees and the crunch of the snow. She ran in a circle, waiting in Toriel to catch up with her.

"You sure are excited!" Toriel pointed out. Her giddy expression made Toriel a bit excited herself. She couldn't place why, however. When Zinnia stopped, Toriel loomed over her to see why. Zinnia had nearly tripped on a slipper. It was pink. "Oh dear. Someone's missing a shoe."

"Can I ask around for the owner?" Zinnia asked. She looked it over. "I'll stay near you, but I want to return it!"

Toriel shrugged, continuing on her way. "You can. Hopefully the owner isn't missing it too much. It looks familiar, though..." Zinnia followed, firmly gripping on the heel of the slipper.

"Alrighty! Thanks Miss Toriel!" Zinnia continued to run ahead of her, throwing snow into the air and admiring the stalagmites that covered the high ceiling of the underground. It was sometimes easy to forget that she was no longer on the surface. She was too busy looking forward to look up.

So, their little shopping trip took longer than expected. No one who they'd asked was the owner of the mysterious slipper. When Zinnia approached some of the monsters, they either ran off or got hostile. Toriel would have to step in to defuse the situation.

They then approached Snowdin Town. Zinnia wanted to explore, and eat at the diner beside the shop they were heading to. Toriel struck up a conversation with the shopkeep, leaving Zinnia bored. The kid behind the counter, a bunny, refused to even talk to her. She sighed, staring at the slipper. She gave Toriel one last glance, deciding to sneakily leave the shop and continue her search.

As soon as she left the shop, a skeleton passed her by. He was tall and his scarf nearly touched the floor. He seemed to be scanning the floor. Although his stature intimidated her, she approached in the hopes of making progress in her search.

"E-excuse me," she muttered out, making a mental note to calm herself down. His eye socket raised, as if an eyebrow were above it. "Do you know who this-"

"A human?!" His loud voice caught her off guard. It was kind of loud to her. "That's the second one since Frisk left!" Zinnia tilted her head, confused by what he was talking about. "Oh, how rude of me! You wouldn't know what I'm talking about!"

"Y-yeah..." Zinnia nervously smiled at him. "Uh, I have this slipper here... Do you know who it belongs to?" She reached up so he could get a good look, though it didn't make much of a difference. Luckily, he didn't need to take a closer look.

"Actually, I do! My brother lost it! Thank you, tiny human!" He pat her head, something that Zinnia grew to enjoy, and she went to give him the slipper. "Oh, no no no! I can't take credit for your good deed! I can bring you to him!"

"Take credit?" Zinnia tilted her head. This skeleton talked funny. "Okay! Lead the way Mr..."

"Papyrus! Captain of the Royal Guard!" He introduced boldly Zinnia giggled. "It's very nice to meet you, tiny human!"

"I'm Zinnia! Nice to meet you too, Papyrus!" She greeted politely. She grinned widely at the lanky skeleton and gave the shop a side glance before following Papyrus into the restaurant next to the shop.

The establishment seemed a bit empty. There were open tables that looked to have dirty paw prints all over them. There was an unfinished card game game on them as well. The monsters who were in the restaurant stared Zinnia down. The familiar gaze they gave her caused her to cower behind Papyrus' leg. Papyrus took her hand, flashing her a soft smile.

"Fear not! They're just a bit on edge today!" Papyrus said, guiding her to the bar. He scooped her up, setting her down next to another skeleton on the tall bar stool. He had a blue jacket, and chugged a bottle of ketchup. She noticed that his shoe was missing.

"Oh! You must be the owner of this shoe!" Zinnia blurted. The skeleton in question stopped for a moment to give her a side glance. It was cold and bored, but Zinnia didn't mind much. She'd gotten that type of glance before. She just kept up her welcoming smile. "I found it near the entrance to the ruins! Papyrus wanted me to return it to you."

"Huh," he grumbled, "so that's where I left it."

"You're not even gonna say thank you, Sans?" Papyrus scolded. His brother shrugged in reply, and Zinnia slid the shoe onto his lap.

"Well, here you go! I think Miss Toriel's gonna be worried that I snuck off... I hope she isn't too mad about it..." Zinnia turned herself around, pulling on Papyrus to help her down. He did so.

"You're not going to stay a bit longer?" Papyrus asked her. She shook her head.

"I wish I could! But I don't want to make Miss Toriel wait any longer! I don't want her to leave me behind because I didn't listen to her..." She fiddled with her fingers. "And I feel awkward sitting in a restaurant without eating anything. It was nice meeting both of you, though!" She adjusted her burgundy coat, heading for the door.

"Hold up, kid," Sans suddenly said. He hopped down from his seat. Toriel's name clicked with him. "It'd be pretty scummy if we let a kid just walk around in the town all on her own." Papyrus gave Sans a curious look. He agreed with him, but Sans never usually bothered with these types of things.

"O-oh, no it's alright! I don't wanna trouble you... The expression you gave me kinda told me everything," Papyrus furrowed his nonexistent eyebrows towards Sans.

"We don't mind, really! Sans has just been feeling down lately! He didn't mean to look at you like that, right Sans?" Papyrus said the last two words through gritted teeth, emphasizing them. Sans hopped down from the stool, telling the bartender to put it on his tab. He put his shoe back on despite having a wet sock.

"Whatever you say, bro," he answered dryly. His gaze landed in Zinnia. "Lead the way kid." She nodded, marching out of the shop with the pair of brothers.

* * *

Toriel exited the shop in a bit of a panic. She took her eyes off of Zinnia for a second and she already vanished! It didn't take her long to find her, however. Papyrus had her on his shoulder, and she cupped her hands like she was looking through a telescope. She stared at Toriel through it, pointing in her direction. Sans lagged behind a bit.

"Miss Toriel! I found the guy who lost his slipper!" Zinnia announced proudly. Papyrus set her down in front of the goat mother. "I-I know you're probably upset, but I was gonna come right back!" She had a bit of panic behind her tone. She didn't want to disappoint Toriel. She'd been so sweet to her, and she didn't want her new mom to leave her like her real mother did.

"If you think I'm mad at you, child, I'm not. I was just worried," Toriel reassured. "I'm proud that you were able to handle yourself! You're much more mature than I thought!" Zinnia beamed at this. She turned to face her two newest travel companions.

She gestured towards the taller one first. "This is Papyrus! He helped me find his brother, Sans! He says Sans was so lazy that he forgot to look for his shoe! He was lucky I was around!" She laughed. Toriel snickered at her.

"It's very nice to meet the both of you. Thank you for watching over my child," Toriel shook hands with Papyrus.

"It was the least we can do to repay her for helping my brother! We probably wouldn't have found it on our own..." Papyrus grinned. Sans found himself staring at the taller woman.

"Toriel... From the ruins..." He muttered. Zinnia caught his mutter, looking towards him.

"Yeah! We live there! It doesn't have snow like it does here! But it's got leaves and stuff!" She explained. Sans laughed lightly at her demeanor.

"Tibia honest, I was a bit too hard on you, kid," he joked. Papyrus glared at him, and Zinnia wondered why. She also wondered what a tibia was. Toriel found the pun to be quite amusing, which surprised Papyrus given her mature appearance. "I mean, I'm just such a lazybones! I should be more grateful."

"Sans-"

"Sans? I knew I recognized your voice!" Toriel blurted. She stood in front of Sans, a pleased grin gracing her muzzle. "It slipped my mind completely!"

Sans' permanent smile grew wider. "That usually happens to a numbskull like myself. I wouldn't have expected it to come from you." They shared another laugh, then started shooting puns at each other.

Papyrus groaned. "We're gonna be here all day..." He mumbled. Zinnia attempted to understand some of the puns, but she wasn't exactly fluent in the anatomy of a skeleton.

"Papyrus what's a fibula?" She asked him.

"Nothing you need to worry about..." He mumbled.

"I can tell you," Sans offered. He saw Papyrus shoot him a look. "It's a pretty good liar!" Toriel laughed, probably louder than she should've.

"Can we please stop haunting the middle of the path with these terrible puns?!" Papyrus blurted loudly. Zinnia still didn't get most of the jokes.

"Good idea, pap! How about we head back to our place? I've got a million more puns to tell!" Sans suggested. Toriel hummed at the idea.

"I don't see why not. We can skip tonight's lesson on monster language, right?" The three stared down at Zinnia.

"Aw I still need practice with the Froggits..." She pouted. "But okay! New friends are better than learning anyway!" She cheered. Papyrus joined her, the two of them wasting no time heading to the other side of town. Toriel and Sans watched them joyfully.

"People must assume he's the oldest," Toriel teased as they walked.

"Not acting like that," he sneered playfully. She rolled her eyes, glancing up. Papyrus had plucked Zinnia from the ground again. She liked feeling tall.


	6. A Bad Dream, A Good Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad Dreams lead to bonding! Cliche, I know.

On the couch sat Sans and Zinnia. They were banned from the kitchen for causing too much of a distraction while Toriel and Papyrus worked on dinner. Zinnia hummed to herself while holding her doll beside her, and Sans watched TV mindlessly. Sans sat on one end so he could lean on the arm, and Zinnia shifted her position between the other arm and the middle of the couch.

Even though he looked to be lounging, he observed her. Her behavior, her responses, and even her tone when she spoke. Sans hadn't been too fond of humans, even the children. They were a chore to deal with. Zinnia didn't seem like that. She seemed to handle herself well enough.

He wish he could get a good look at her eyes. Her shaggy hair blocked her curious eyes well. No one could really tell what she truly felt beyond the veil of smooth brown hair and a passive smile. Sans doubted a child could have much to hide. Not entirely though.

Sans was thinking intensely. But Zinnia was too. She was debating whether or not she should tell him a joke she'd been brewing. Him and Toriel seemed to have so much fun earlier, and she wanted to join in on that fun. She turned to him suddenly, startling the short skeleton.

"I finally thought of a j-joke!" She blurted, a nervous smile present on her face. Sans blinked at her before calming down.

"Alright kid. Shoot," he pointed back at her. His casual expression relaxed her. Despite his overall lax attitude, he seemed really intense to her.

"Knock knock!" A classic.

"Who's there?" A lazy reply.

"Boo!" He'd heard this before, but humored her none the less.

"Boo who?" He pretended to shrug as if he had no idea.

"Aw don't cry! It's just a joke!" They could hear Papyrus yelling about how Sans "infected the child", along with Toriel's snickering. Zinnia puffed her chest out, proud of herself. "Was it a good joke? I've been trying to come up with a good joke to impress you!"

"Why would you wanna do that? I'm just some lazy old skeleton," Sans replied and slouched a bit. He wasn't looking at her.

"Because, you're super funny! I haven't seen Miss Toriel smile like that ever!" Zinnia pointed out. "Plus, you remind me of an old friend of mine... Though a little more lazy..." Sans grinned, sitting up and glancing her way.

"Oh," he recognized that tone in her voice. That brief sense of grief that emanated from her was obvious enough. "Well, I hope it's in a good way, at least."

"It is! He was the best, and could come up with the best plans and jokes! He wasn't all that active, but he was like the sibling I always wanted!" She hadn't realized it, but her throat began to feel tight. Like she was gonna cry at any moment. She gulped, suppressing that feeling. "A-anyway... Sorry if I talked too much..."

"Nah you're fine. You remind me of Paps kinda," Sans gave her a thumbs up. Toriel stepped into the room. She held her gentle smile.

"Dinner's ready, you two! I had to help Papyrus properly prepare the spaghetti..." She commented, a brief look of dread overtaking her features. Sans knew that look all too well.

"Oooh! The only spaghetti I've ever gotten was the scraps! Wooo spaghetti!" Toriel gave the girl a concerned look as she hurried into the kitchen, Papyrus greeted her with a hardy laugh. Toriel gestured for her friend to follow, and he sluggishly rose to his feet.

* * *

Somehow, Papyrus convinced Toriel to allow Zinnia to stay the night. Both him and Zinnia pleaded, and Sans went to nap on the couch after dinner. Toriel agreed, on the condition that they bring her back to the ruins by the afternoon the next day.

One of Papyrus's shirts fit her like a night gown. In fact, it might as well have been one. The edge stopped near her ankles. She spent most of the night with the taller skeleton, running around and pretending to be a plane. They played until they were tuckered out. Papyrus went up to his room, giving her a spare blanket to use for the night.

Sans.... Was still on the couch. He'd gotten up once. To get a snack. Then he sat and watched TV. Zinnia attempted to pay attention from beside him, but her tired little body wouldn't let her. She held her doll close, scooting back as far as she could onto the couch. She was a little hesitant to sleep, but she eventually did dose off. Sans was soon to follow, his boredom getting the best of him.

A few hours into his slumber, he heard shuffling and soft whimpering. He rubbed his eyes as he sat up. The TV was the only light in the room. When he turned to look over at Zinnia, she was huddled against the arm of the couch. She was shaking slightly, and seemed to he staring into the TV. Under her bangs, Sans could just barely see a pink glow.

"Kid," his deep voice startled her. So much so that she pushed herself back onto the armrest. When she realized it was just Sans, she climbed down.

"O-Oh... Sorry did I wake you up?" She asked softly, though voice was hoarse. She climbed off the couch, leaving the blanket and taking her bag and doll. "I-I didn't mean to! H-Here, I can head back home by m-myself if it's a problem-"

"Whoa whoa kid! You didn't wake me up!" Sans put a hand on her shoulder. "Did you have a bad dream or something?" She paused in her motions, deciding to sit beside him on the couch.

"...." Zinnia clutched her doll tightly, not really wanting to speak. She could feel Sans' gaze on her.

"You can talk to me, you know... I have nightmares almost all the time. I know how "fun" they can be," he sighed, looking towards the TV. "I won't ask what they're about since it's none of my business. Just know that you're okay here. I got your back."

She sniffled, tilting her head to look at him. "I know... It's just... M-my mom..."

"Toriel?" Zinnia shook her head.

"My real mom. I have bad dreams about her sometimes," she shifted her body so she could lean her side on the back of the couch. "She made me do a lot of stuff I didn't wanna do... Stuff that hurt... I dream about it sometimes. Like she'll come and drag me back home... Away from everyone down here..."

Sans frowned. As much as he could, anyway. He scooted closer, patting her head. "I doubt that'll happen. Plus, you got at least three monsters that wouldn't want that to happen," he heard her utter a weak laugh.

"Yeah... Guess it was a bit silly to cry over a dream..."

"Nah. I cry over nightmares all the time. You're not the only one," he shrugged, leaning back into the couch. "Once, Paps had a dream that a giant bunny wanted to eat him like a carrot stick. Chilled him to the bone," Zinnia snorted at this.

"Seriously?" Sans nodded, a sly smile spreading across his features. Zinnia laughed, lifting her bangs to wipe away her remaining tears. Sans caught a glimpse of her eyes- wide, pink and full of wonder. They had a slight glow to them, which seemed a bit unusual to him. Human eyes didn't typically shine like that, unless their soul is strongly connected to them.

She made sure to cover them again, hiding them from the world once again. "Doesn't doing that kinda... Limit your vision?"

"Hm?" Zinnia finished fixing her hair. "Yeah. But I'm used to it. My mama made me cover my eyes after my hair grew back. My eyes changed color one day and it freaked her out so much that... I almost lost my eyes," she paused, taking in a breath. "I say this is better than not having eyes. She called them freaky..."

"Imagine having eyes. Couldn't be me," Sans said jokingly.

"Wait those little white thingies aren't eyes?" She seemed genuinely curious.

"Eye have no idea what you're talking about," Zinnia snickered. To her, it was a bad and a good pun. She took the blanket Papyrus gave her, throwing one end of it over to him. When he didn't catch it, she huffed and got up, pulling the end over him. She returned to her spot, huddling under the remaining blanket.

"It's not fair that you don't have a blanket. So lets share," she whispered to him. Sans chuckled softly, appreciating the gesture.

"Skeletons can't get cold. You know that, right?" Zinnia nodded tiredly. "Thanks anyway. I misjudged you back at Grillby's."

"I thought you were really scary and mean. Turns out, you're a silly skeleton!" Zinnia declared quietly. "Even more than Papyrus!"

"You wound me with such a statement," he retorted playfully. He grabbed the remote, shutting off the TV. Papyrus would scold him if he found it on again. Zinnia's eyes were even more prominent now. "Hey, kid."

"Yeah?" Zinnia turned her head. Sans made both of his white orbs vanish, a bluish-yellowish wisp replacing the left one.

"I can do it too. It's pretty cool," Zinnia parted her bangs, her eyes half lid but full of admiration. They were bright. "Your mom's wrong, you know."

"Hehehe! We're pretty special, huh?" She whispered, grinning widely.

"You know it, kid," he returned his eyes to normal, and Zinnia settled into a sitting position. She covered as much of her body with the blanket as she comfortably could. Sans didn't really bother. He could sleep anywhere.

Papyrus definitely took a picture in the morning. They were both pretty embarrassed about it, though Zinnia was the only one to show it.


	7. The Queen Comes To Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not all monsters accept humans as much as they used to...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Online school's been whooping my butt lately...

The morning was sluggish for the pair of short pals. Sans' laziness seemed to rub off on Zinnia in the morning. She dragged herself off the couch eventually. Deciding to use their bathroom to wash up.

While she did that, Papyrus started on breakfast. He practically had to force Sans to help him. A harsh knock at the door drew their attention, and Papyrus went to answer it.

"Sans," he yelled, "it's Undyne! She came to visit!"

"No. I came because there were reports of a human here," she boomed, entering their home. She wore the old king's armor, though it had to he refitted to fit her. A small hooded figure trailed behind her. Papyrus waved at the purple clad figure, though he went ignored. They were about as tall as Sans.

"Where is it?" The small soldier muttered once Sans entered the main room. Their voice was quiet and a bit raspy. It sounded like a small child. "I can smell it!"

Zinnia, now clothed, leaned on the bathroom door. This new woman scared her. There was a sudden bang on the door that made her back up. She heard Papyrus scold the person behind it about minding the privacy of others. "Alois" was their name.

She was boxed in. This reminded her of home, in a way. Except there wasn't a big enough window for her to climb out of. She looked towards the window, and there stood Sans. He startled her.

"Where did Sans go?!" They heard Undyne yell. A blue spear pierced the door, right above her head. Undyne had thrown it from the first floor. Sans grabbed Zinnia's arm.

"Time to go, kid," he said. Before Zinnia could respond, they were outside. She immediately hugged herself at the sudden cold. Seeing this, Sans handed her his jacket. "You'll need it more than me."

"O-Okay..." She answered. The air was wild, and chilly. It made Zinnia's cheeks red. "Who was that?"

"Undyne. She used to be the captain of the royal guard. But she took the throne when the previous king was killed," Sans explained. "Her and that little buddy of hers hates humans. They're looking to open the barrier with your soul."

"That's Flowey's plan too! Maybe we can work together then!" Zinnia suggested. "That way, no one has to fight! And the monsters can be free!" Sans shook his head.

"Both Undyne and that damn flower plan to kill you to get your soul. There is no working together," he placed his hands on her shoulders, watching her eyes widened through her parted hair. "And now that they know that you're here, they won't stop looking for you. Even if you manage to get back to the ruins,"

"T-Then what am I supposed to do?" She muttered, holding his jacket around her shoulders.

"Head through Waterfall and into Hotland. If the River Person is there, ask them for a lift. I have a couple of buddies there that'll help you get home," he pat her shoulder, walking behind her. A figure stood before them, but the snow and the wind made it hard to tell who it was. "I'll let Tori know where you are. Don't worry about a thing."

"What about you and Papy?" Zinnia took a few steps back. Another spear flew past her, missing her by a hair.

"We'll be fine. We're plenty strong," Sans waved a hand her way. She nodded, sucking in a breath. Whipped around, forcing herself in the other direction. Her home was with Toriel, but she didn't want to hold him back any longer.

"Sans, why would you let her leave like that?! You had one job!" Undyne huffed. The tall fish monster placed a spear in the snow, her small companion soon to her side.

"I guess I'm just not compatible with this job," Sans shrugged. He missed his jacket.

"You do realize that this can be considered treason, right? We're so close to getting to the surface! One little human is all we need!" Undyne reasoned.

"He won't listen. You can tell that he's grown fond of that thing," Alois commented bitterly. "Let me go after it, my Queen. I'll eradicate it for you!"

"Knock yourself out," Undyne grinned. Alois had a noticeable smirk under their hood. They dashed forward, intending on passing up Sans. They figured that it'd be easy since Sans seemed to be way under their skill level.

**_Oh how wrong they were._ **

Before they could blink, Sans had summoned a large bone in the direction they were running towards. It slammed into their face, knocking them back. They growled, standing up. Sans placed a blue bone through their abdomen, forcing them to stay still.

"I can't let them do that. That girl's Tori's kid. And me and Paps have to keep her safe," Sans explained. He had his usual nonchalant look on his face.

"That thing's nothing but a problem!" Alois hissed. Sans rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I'll go after her!" Undyne declared, beginning to move herself. Sans raised his other hand, a cage of bones forming around her. She broke through them with her spear, and she continued to do so as he kept summoning them. "Damnit Sans! Stop getting in my way!" She threw a spear directly at him. He moved out of the way.

"No can do, Undy-!" He had to dodge once again, Alois breaking free from their trap and lunging at Sans with a lance. It had a slight, orange glow to it.

"Move!" Alois yelled. Sans chuckled a bit. He snapped his fingers, a large, canine skull forming beside him. It opened its maw, blue magic forming at it's core.

"Nah, how about you move," his eye shone with a bright blue hue as the skull released it's blast, cloaking Alois in it's light. Undyne yelled, summoning a group of spears under the head to stab it. It disintegrated, and Alois was no where to be found. "Oops might've went a bit too far with that one,"

Undyne huffed, pausing in her motions. Sans stood, slightly on guard. He flinched when she began to laugh. "You really think that little blast is gonna stop them? You just gave them the perfect cover to go chasing after that human!" She gloated. Sans narrowed his eyes at her. "I'd go check on that brother of yours. Alois may or may not've wrecked your house. That's my bad..." Sans looked towards Waterfall, sighing through his nonexistent nose.

"Be safe, kid," he muttered, wasting no time to check on his brother. Undyne started towards Waterfall, planning on returning to the top of the mountain. Alois was her most reliable soldier. They'd get the job done, not matter what it took.

* * *

Zinnia had put on Sans' jacket as she ran. It was big in her, and it smelled like ketchup and hotdogs. The sleeves were longer than her arms.

"I don't want to go home! I want to go back to Toriel... I want to go eat breakfast..." She uttered after stopping to breath. Her legs throbbed, and her heartbeat rang through her ears. She was surrounded by glowing flowers and water with a slight blue tint to it. She leaned forward and placed her hands on her knees. She hadn't noticed that her socks slid down her legs, but she didn't care much.

"Why did Flowey lie to me? I don't understand..." Zinnia spoke aloud. Her breath was starting to calm down. She could hear the flowers copying her. "I wish I never listened to him..."

Eventually, she stood back up. She stretched her limbs, deciding to press onward. She had faith in Sans, but she couldn't stop just because of that. She walked at a brisk pace, taking in the sights and traversing through hip-high water. She raised Sans' jacket so it wouldn't get wet.

Again, monsters avoided her. Piles of dust disrupted the otherwise beautiful and calming atmosphere. The silence made the small girl shiver with unease. It made her paranoid. Like the enemy would pop up out of nowhere.

She stopped after a bit more walking. She saw a white door, plastered against the rock wall. It was completely quiet. Not even the distance sound of water could be heard. She stood curiously at the door, glancing back in the direction she'd came from. When she didn't spot anything, she turned the knob and poked her head in.


	8. A Tussle In Waterfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zinnia discovers many things in waterfall, including someone she can relate to.

It was dark. Zinnia had moved herself completely through the door, leaving her foot in the crack so it wouldn't close completely. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

Her voice seemed to echo endlessly. Her eyes frantically searched for any sort of movement in the pitch black area. She stopped and stared at a figure in the distance. She could only make out a head and a set of hands. The head smiled at her, abruptly approaching and towering over her.

"U-uh... Um-" she bit her tongue, not knowing what to say. The monster before her resembled the skeleton brothers, but his face, and what seemed to be a turtleneck, seemed to be crumbling away before her very eyes.

"☠︎🏳︎❄︎ 👎︎☜︎❄︎☜︎☼︎💣︎🖐︎☠︎✌︎❄︎🖐︎🏳︎☠︎  
📬︎📬︎📬︎" He croaked out, leaning downward. This foreign language startled and confused Zinnia. "👌︎🕆︎❄︎ 💧︎🏳︎💣︎☜︎❄︎☟︎🖐︎☠︎☝︎ 👎︎🖐︎☞︎☞︎☜︎☼︎☜︎☠︎❄︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ 💧︎🏳︎💣︎☜︎❄︎☟︎🖐︎☠︎☝︎ ☼︎☜︎☹︎✌︎❄︎☜︎👎︎📬︎📬︎📬︎"

"I um... I have no idea what you're talking about..." Zinnia muttered. "You're in my personal bubble mister..." Her soul appeared between them, and a crooked smile adorned the face of the mysterious, crumbling skeleton.

"👎︎🏳︎☠︎🕯︎❄︎ ❄︎☟︎🖐︎☠︎😐︎ ✌︎👌︎🏳︎🕆︎❄︎ 🖐︎❄︎ ❄︎🏳︎🏳︎ 💣︎🕆︎👍︎☟︎📬︎ 🖐︎ ☠︎☜︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎🏳︎🕆︎ ❄︎🏳︎ 👎︎🏳︎ 💧︎🏳︎💣︎☜︎❄︎☟︎🖐︎☠︎☝︎ ☞︎🏳︎☼︎ 💣︎☜︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ 💧︎🏳︎💣︎☜︎❄︎☟︎🖐︎☠︎☝︎ ❄︎☟︎✌︎❄︎ ☼︎☜︎✈︎🕆︎🖐︎☼︎☜︎💧︎ ✡︎🏳︎🕆︎☼︎ 💧︎🏳︎🕆︎☹︎📬︎📬︎📬︎" He reached a hand out to her face, and Zinnia panicked, backing away. The door seemed further than it was before. She tried to push him away, her arms going through his black torso. Her back suddenly touched the door she came though. There was a flash of pink as she fiddled with the knob, and she soon tumbled out of the door with a yelp.

When she looked up, the door was gone. It stumped her, but she didn't mind that. The monster she'd met had given her the creeps. She stood up and dusted her dress off.

"I'll have to go back to Sans' place to get my kitty..." She mumbled as she began to walk again. The sound soon returned to Waterfall, and it calmed her down quickly. The calmness didn't last long, however. She felt something sharp poke the back of her head, and she paused.

"Pause, human," Alois growled from behind her. "That skeleton couldn't halt the inevitable for long." Zinnia gulped, eyes wide and body stiff. "Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way. The easy way allows you to live a little longer." She could practically feel the smirk Alois had burning the back of her skull.

"H-How about a way where we all get along and no one has to die?" Zinnia blurted, earning an amused snort from the enemy. They began to walk around her, keeping the blade loosely on her skin as they did. They stopped at her cheek, slashing the soft skin suddenly. Zinnia hissed quietly and crouched down, quickly covering the wound with her hands. She was careful not to get any of her blood on Sans' jacket.

"Huh... That other human screamed when I did that..." Alois muttered. "Anyway," they grabbed the crown of her head, yanking it, "Queen Undyne's wish will finally come true, and it's all thanks to me!" Their claws scratched her head a bit.

"Let me go!" Zinnia resisted with all her might. Alois chuckled, pulling her her closer to them.

"And what are you gonna do if I don't? At least the other human put up a fight. You're just some little kid!" Tears began to stain the girl's face.

"I won't let you and that nasty queen get my soul!" She shouted. Again, there was a flash of pink. Alois' grip was suddenly released, giving Zinnia a chance to straighten out her back.

"What the? What the hell is this?" Alois asked furiously. They tumbled backwards while keeping their eyes on Zinnia. She had a pole in her hands, made entirely of pastel pink magic. It had manifested and pushed Alois away.

"A pole!" Zinnia answered, turning it slowly in her hands. It vanished as quickly as it came, and Alois took the chance to pounce on Zinnia. She was roughly pinned to the cavern floor.

"Looks like you chose the hard way!" Alois sneered. They retracted their hand back, and Zinnia could see that their hands were brown paws with spots on them. Zinnia raises her feet up, kicking Alois away.

"I didn't choose anything! I didn't even do anything!" She yelled as she ran into the next room. Alois chuckled and followed. "Just leave me alone! I wanna go back to the ruins!"

"Whining won't help you!" He taunted. They passed by an old turtle who ran a shop. Zinnia made a sharp turn stopping at a river. A taller person stood at the river's edge, and there was a boat with a hooded figure on it. The person looked to be human as well.

He turned when he heard Zinnia whining about the goat monster. He was surprised to see such a young girl in the underground of all places. Thinking fast, he firmly held the bat he had with him.

"Duck!" He yelled. Zinnia hadn't noticed him until he said something. She tried her best to duck, but she ended up slipping. This worked for the stranger since he swung at full force. He smacked Alois square in the nose, hitting them with enough force to knock their hood off. "Huh... I never thought you'd look like a hyena..." He prodded and poked at Alois, checking if they'd get back up again.

"Hyena?" Zinnia asked. She pushed herself up from the ground, running behind her savior quickly. "What's that?"

"It's like a big, mean dog." He answered. "Let me guess. They were chasing you for your soul?"

"Mmhmm! Mmhmm!" Zinnia nodded vigorously. "I just wanna go home..."

"There's no way back to the surface other than to travel through Hotland," he said, turning around to face her. His hair partially covered his face, but most of it was in a ponytail. His skin was a shade or two darker than her own beige skin. She noted his boots and how they reached past his knees.

"No no no! Not the surface! I mean back to the Ruins!" Zinnia protested adamantly. "Or at least back to Snowdin so I can check on Papy and Sans! And get my stuff from their house!"

"Oooh! Well the River Person there can guide you there," the stranger pointed backward towards the boat. "Though I'd feel pretty bad if I left a little girl to travel all that way by herself. How's about I tag along?"

Zinnia had climbed onto the boat. "You don't have to do that! I can handle myself!" She insisted. The older human climbed onto the boat anyway.

"You're not changing my mind, squirt. I've got nothing better to do than to run from the queen and her lackey. Plus, it'd be nice to see Toriel again," he sat down beside her, and the River Person began on their way to Snowdin. "So. What's your name?"

The rocking of the boat and the calm water pleased Zinnia. She hoped that she could see this place again when she wasn't in danger. "O-Oh. It's Zinnia..." She muttered. "What about you?"

"Locas," he put his hand into the water and watched the ceiling's reflection. It twinkled like stars. Zinnia found herself looking up when it got quiet.


	9. An Old Aquaintance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zinnia gains a new, better sibling, and Sans seems troubled by her discovery in Waterfall.

Zinnia thanked the River Person as soon as she hopped onto the snow with Locus. He stuffed his hands into his own oversized hoodie, walking beside her as she led them back towards Snowdin. It wasn't too far. The River Person gave them brief directions.

"Are you cold? Wanna borrow Sans' jacket?" Zinnia asked while looking upward. Locus shook his head.

"Nah. I'll manage," he declined. Zinnia simply pouted at the rejection, but carried on. They arrived in Snowdin, and Zinnia made a beeline for the skeleton brother's home. Locus was a bit surprised at the sudden burst of energy, so he had to pick up his sluggish pace.

Zinnia knocked on the door quite harshly. She hurt her own hand even. "Papy! Sans! It's me!" She yelled. "Are you okay?!" The door opened swiftly, and Zinnia was scooped up into a tight hug.

"It's so great to see you again, tiny human!" Papyrus cried out. He set her down, a worried expression overcoming his joyous one. "You're injured!" Zinnia put a hand up to her face. When she retracted it, blood coated her hand.

"Damn that looks pretty bad, Z," Locas added. Zinnia shrugged.

"I've dealt with worse." She muttered. "I didn't even realized this was here till I touched it! Now it hurts..." She whined. Papyrus let them in, and Zinnia's eyes widened. There on the couch sat Sans, and pacing in front of him was Toriel.

"Mama!" Zinnia yelled accidentally as she charged towards the old goat. Toriel gasped, barely having time to prepare to catch the girl. "You're here! You're here!"

"Yes I'm here my child! I am so glad you're safe!" She beamed and rubbed the back of her head with her hand. Zinnia reveled in the hug, crying tears of joy. Toriel looked up at Locas. "Thank you for returning her to me Locas." She spoke softly.

"No problem, goat mom," he replied casually. "I whacked that Alois in the face. They deserved it, to be honest."

Toriel scowled at him. "What have I told you about using violence to solve your problems?" She scolded. Zinnia slipped under her arms, going to hug Sans.

"Hey, they were attacking Zinnia! I helped her!" He protested. "That was also payback for putting a bounty on my head."

"A bounty on your head?" Sans inquired while patting Zinnia's head. She seemed lost in her own little world of happiness. She gave Sans his jacket back, trying not to get blood on it.

"Yeah. I planned on hiding out in Temmie Village but some monsters tried to fight me. They said they saw me in Snowdin and that the queen was offering a reward for my capture," he elaborated. "My guess is that some other monsters saw Z and reported her, thinking she was either me or with me," Zinnia blinked, hopping off the couch.

"I remember hearing about a bounty from the shows my mom watches. That's horrible!" She declared adamantly. Locas shrugged.

"Hey, what can you do? After all the shi-" Toriel's glare made Locas pause, "-crap humans put the monsters through, I'd be pissed too," Locas ruffled the little girl's hair when she approached him. "Anyway, I'd better hit the road. Don't want you gettin into more trouble cuz of me."

"Wouldn't it be better to stick together?" Sans asked as Locas turned towards the door.

"Yeah it would!" Zinnia insisted. She wiped blood off her cheek, and it coated her arm. "You can come back with me and Miss Toriel! We can be like a big happy family! You'll be my new older brother and we can play board games and stuff!" He laughed through his nose, returning to her and bending down to her level.

"Wish I could, but I don't wanna take up space in your happy little family! I don't really deserve one after all..." Zinnia held onto his arm, refusing to let him stand straight.

"I won't allow you to go back out there alone! You're coming with me and Miss Toriel and I'm not letting you leave me! You're my new brother whether you like it or not!" She demanded and gripped tightly onto his jacket. "Is that alright, Miss Toriel?" She turned to look at the tall monster, and Locas was starting to get uncomfortable in the position he was forced to hold.

Toriel flicked her amber eyes between Locas and Zinnia. She was unsure, but she nodded, unable to resist the small child's will. "I don't mind at all. He can come back home with us if he'd like."

"Welp, majority rules, I guess..."Locas sighed. Zinnia let him go, and she grinned widely up at him.

"Yaay! New family member!" Zinnia cheered and hugged Locas' leg. She returned to Papyrus, who seemed saddened.

"It was fun while it lasted, Tiny human..." Papyrus gave her another hug. It was gentle and long.

"We'll see each other again, Papy! I could never just not see you again!" She laughed and Papyrus released her, going to retrieve something from his room. She turned to Sans, who stood while they hugged.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Sansy!" She chirped. Sans pat her head.

"You sound cheery for someone who just got chased," He commented. "But I'll miss you too, kiddo."

"Oh, and I have a question about something I saw in Waterfall!" Sans walked them to the door, and Papyrus nearly fell down the stairs while returning Zinnia's bag. He'd stuffed her doll inside and given her an extra scarf of his. He wrapped it around her, though it was a bit big. It covered the lower part of her face, and her coat only added to the winter clothing. Locas put on a hat he had stuffed into his pocket after leaving Snowdin. "I saw this door, thinking I could hide there, but someone was in the door."

Sans raised a nonexistent brow. "A door in waterfall? Did you walk into someone's house?"

"No no! It was in the wall. A guy was sitting in a dark place. He talked funny and looked like you two, but all melty!" She explained. Toriel grabbed her hand.

"That sounds like quite the interesting individual! Let's start back home where it's safe, my child. Thank you two again for watching over and protecting my child."

Sans had zoned out for a moment. "O-of course Tori! Happy to help," Sans sputtered. Papyrus waved them off as they left. Locas tried to protest against Toriel holding his hand as well, but that didn't do much to make her let go. Sans retreated to his room, deep in thought.


	10. Status Report!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Alphys take a trip down memory lane, and Papyrus happens upon something curious with Mettaton.

Papyrus seemed perplexed by how the snow on Sans’ watch post stayed on it’s roof despite being in Hotland. Even though the heat didn’t bother the skeleton brothers, they removed their winter attire for convenience sake. Sans had to wash his jacket anyway since Zinnia’s blood stained the inside. The stain shook him to his core, and he hoped that it’d wash out. As they approached the quiet laboratory, they watched the main door creak open. It was dim in the room until the duo stepped inside. The lights flickered on. Mettaton and another robot caught Papyrus’ eye, while a monitor caught Sans’ attention. It played clips of Zinnia and Locas that looped every so often.

”Mettaton! Other robot friend!” Papyrus gleefully greeted. The robot with blue accents ducked behind the railing at the second floor, and Mettaton walked down to great their visitors.

”Skeleton Brothers! Dr. Alphys told me that you two were coming! Make yourselves at home! She’ll be up in a minute!” Mettaton gave Papyrus a warm hug, then glanced down at Sans. He seemed more interested in the monitors than the conversation. “I haven’t at the chance to meet the little one. The goth one, however....”

”Eh. Little violent, but he’s a good kid,” Sans shrugged. “You don’t sound too pleased to talk ‘bout him. Did you lose to him or somethin’?” Mettaton narrowed his eyes, and Sans’ grin grew wider.

“My, it is always a pleasure to speak to you...” He rolled his eyes, making sure his mechanical companion didn’t cave under Papyrus’ positive energy. Sans laughed through his nonexistent nose then went to lean beside the elevator leading into the lab below. He heard it ascend towards him. When a disheveled Alphys stepped out of the elevator, he stood up straight.

Alphys jumped after noticing him. “Y-You startled me, Sans!” She stuttered while fixing her lab coat.

”You look like you went through hell! The Amalgamations acting up again?” Sans raised a brow. Alphys shifted her gaze between him and the floor nervously.

”S-S-Something l-like that! C-Come w-with me, won’t you? It’s related to what you t-told me earlier!” She retracted herself into the elevator, and Sans glanced back at Papyrus before turning to follow. His brother seemed too preoccupied with talking to Mettaton to notice.

* * *

Quiet...

Dingy...

Dark...

The feeling of the True Lab was a familiar one to Sans. He did his best not to come back to this place. Bad memories were often set in this location for Sans, but he pushed them away fro now. Alphys gave him a sympathetic glance as they walked deeper into the lab. “Are the amalgamates hiding out today? They’re usually happy to see me,” Sans asked, trying to lighten the dreary mood.

“Th-That’s what I-I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that...” They stopped in front of a, usually locked room. “They w-were all lurked in here by s-something Gaster supposedly left behind. I managed to unlock this door with their help. N-None of them have come o-out...” 

Sans blinked towards the door. He could feel a strange energy emitting from the door, one that Alphys seemed actively afraid of. He gained a serious expression and used his blue magic to creak the door open. What lied on the other side only made him even more defensive.

It... It looked human, to some degree. Ram horns on the side of their head, the legs of a quadrupedal animal, and a furry, thick, heavy tail. They had blackened eyes with glowing, red and white irises in them. They coldly gazed at Sans as the lights flickered on. The large creature got off of the twin sized bed it occupied (and could barely fit on), and crouched onto the floor to munch on the remains of the Amalgamations it lured into the room.

“I-it hasn’t move f-from that spot, I’m g-guessing...” Alphys commented. When the being stood, she towered over them both. If Asgore were here, their height would rival the great mountain king. Amalgamation corpses lined the floor, and their digitigrade legs kicked them aside as if they were irrelevant.

“This one looks like a normal monster. How am I supposed to eat this without it putting up a fight?” They croaked while leaning down towards Sans.

“H-He isn’t food, just like the a-amalgamations!” Alphys raised her voice, and the creature standing before them loomed over her, a hungry look in their eye.

“So, you then? If your options are all spent,” Alphys began to quiver as she nervously pulled a pack of noodles from her coat pocket. The creature snatched it away and unhooked their jaw to devour it all, including the wrapper it came in.

Sans finally snapped out of his shock long enough to create a cage of bones around the creature. He slammed the door behind them when he pulled Alphys out of the room with him.  “What is that?!” He asked through gritted teeth. Alphys gulped.

“I-I found it a-about a month ago... It calls itself Enyo, and a-apparently, it was a project of Gaster’s before he vanished,” Alphys explained. “It’s been getting harder and harder to feed it...”

Before Sans could form a response, the cracking of bones and Enyo banging on the door interrupted him. The metal door already had a decent amount of smaller dents in it, but the one they’d made this time stamped those out. Alphys sucked in a breath and had Sans back up alongside her. He summoned a Gaster Blaster as Enyo charged at the door. They rammed into it, knocking it clean off the hinges. Enyo dusted themselves off and stood up straight. They eyed Sans’ blaster with an almost angry look. They lunged at it, leaping high into the air to latch onto the top of it.

“Enyo stop!” Alphys yelled while Enyo bashed the large skull inward. They stopped to catch a bone that was thrown their way.

“Is that all you got, skeleton man?” Enyo growled and jumped down towards him. He avoided their large body descending upon him, and he shot a large, blue bone through their body. “Blue magic... I hate blue magic...” Alphys clasped her small clawed hands onto their larger ones. Enyo snapped their head down, growling. When they noticed how small her hands were compared to theirs, they seemed to calm down. Alphys rubbed the back of their hand, and they fell into a sitting position. They seemed to disregard the bone in their abdomen, breaking it with their grip alone. The ate the chunks that stuck into their palm, huffing though their nose afterwards.

“There there... You just startled him, that’s all...” Alphys reassured while Enyo relaxed their body. Their tail even started wagging slightly. Sans watched the scene, utterly confused. Enyo acted like a giant baby, or a pet. He approached Alphys cautiously. She turned her gaze to him, narrowing her eyes slightly. “U-Uh, Enyo! This is Sans! He’s a scientist friend of mine!” Alphys introduced. “Please, don’t attack him again...”

”He... Looks familiar.” Enyo muttered. “But he isn’t Gaster, so he’s okay. Sorry for attacking you...” Enyo muttered and held their hand down to shake. He hesitated, but he shook it. He turned to Alphys afterwards, and Enyo retreated to their room, presumingly to sleep. The pair of smaller monsters walked away from the doorframe before speaking.

“How come you never told me about that? And it knows about Gaster?” Alphys averted her gaze for a moment to think. Sans patiently awaited a response, his gaze flicking over towards the room Enyo was in a few times.

”I-I was going to t-tell you, eventually... I j-just never got the chance. I had woke i-it up while tending to the amalgamations o-one day. They’d been particularly r-rowdy that day,” Alphys scratched the back of her head while he spoke. “A-and as for G-Gaster, Enyo seems to remember everything about him. It even seems to know some stuff that you have yet to tell me. Like about his experiments with determination, and how it was one of the first beings he tested on, other than himself.” Sans held an annoyed frown at the information. He huffed through his nonexistent nose, and rubbed his face with his hand. “I’m sorry that I never told you about it, Sans! I-I just didn’t know wh-what to do! And now I don’t know how I’m gonna keep Enyo from getting out now... I can’t leave it down here since I don’t know what it’ll do if it gets hungry enough, but I don’t know what it’ll do if I just let it out. I-I’m all o-out of options now! Oh man... Oh man...”

”You’re rambling Al,” Sans pointed out, and Alphys stopped pacing to apologize sheepishly. “No worries. We just gotta keep an eye on it, yeah? It wouldn’t want to be cooped up here, plus the underground is practically a ghost town nowadays. Monsters avoid humans as much as possible, even ones as little as Zinnia. Enyo looks human enough, so it’ll be fine,” Sans pointed out and shrugged. Alphys gave him a nervous smile and nodded.

”O-Okay! I-I’ll keep that in mind,” she stuttered and walked back to the room since Sans decided to meet her at the elevator. She peeked inside, Enyo waving to the scientist from their small bed. Alphys waved back, and gestured for them to follow her. Enyo tilted their head, but followed nonetheless. The pair walked across the lab and back to the elevator. Sans kept the door open for them, and the three of them squeezed into the space. Enyo was too tall to stand all the way up, so they laid on the elevator floor.

* * *

When Sans returned to the main lab with Alphys and Enyo, Papyrus was alone. He’d been looking at the monitor when Sans approached. He faintly saw Sans’ reflection in the glass and turned to face him. He hugged his brother, happy that he’d returned. “You sure took your time, brother!”

”Yeah, sorry about that, Pap,” Sans pat his back as he spoke. “Where’d Mettaton and that other robot go?” The brothers parted, Papyrus grinning happily.

”Oh, him and Napstablook, that other robot, happened upon a life sized doll. It came to life and ran from them, so they had me stay here while they go catch it!” Papyrus explained briefly. Alphys perked up at the mention of the doll and rushed over. Enyo studied the unfamiliar skeleton from a distance. His height reminded them of Gaster, but they decided to keep their calm. His cheery demeanor contrasted the doctor’s enough for Enyo to do so.

”Papyrus! D-Did you happen to see what the d-doll looked like?“ Alphys asked loudly while leaning over the desk beside the monitor.

”Yes actually! It looked like that girl on the poster on the second floor!” Alphys hysterically cried out after hearing that, dramatically lamenting the loss of her doll. She sunk to the floor in dismay, and Enyo approached to pick up the small scientist. They held her in their arms as they passed the skeleton brothers. Papyrus politely waved to them, but they only glared in response. They also took a glance at the pair of humans on the screen while they passed, taking in their features and the places were they had been walking through before taking Alphys upstairs. Enyo had only been up there once before, but their memory was sharp, so they knew where to go.

”Who...” Papyrus trailed off, a bit saddened that his cheery disposition didn’t do much to make the human-monster hybrid any friendlier towards him.

”Enyo. it’s a roommate of Alphys’,” Sans explained while beginning to head towards the way they came in at. Papyrus followed while giving a curious glance towards the second floor. He met eyes with Enyo, who’s glare only seemed to increase the longer their eyes were locked. Papyrus looked away and walked with a bit of pep in his step.


End file.
